Tool



V. W. THAYER.

TOOL APPLICATION FILED MAY 12 1920.

1,358,037. Patented Nov. 9,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

VICTOR W. THAYER, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WALTER H. NYE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 12, 1920. Serial No. 380,900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Vrcron WV. THAYER, of Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tools, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in tools adapted to operate upon the work with a rotary motion, and involves the use of a universal joint as apart of the tool whereby the part which holds the work or another tool and the part to which the power is applied for turning may be caused to rotate about axes at different angles to each other or about one and the same axis.

The invention is particularly adapted for use as a socket wrench for receiving and sup porting various forms and sizes of sockets as may be required for operation upon bolts and nuts of different forms and sizes, although it is evident that the same tool may be used for rotating other tools.

The main object is to utilize any one of the several forms or sizes of sockets as one of the members of the universal joint in such manner that it may be easily and quickly detached or replaced to and from its companion member in such manner that both may be free to turn about axes which are dis posed in planes at right angles to each other i and some distance apart across the axis of the handle.

Another object is to provide yielding means for holding the socket against accidental displacement from its companion member, and, at the same time, to permit the socket member to be easily removed against the resistance of the yielding member when turned to *its certain angle relatively tothe companion member. y

Other ob'ects and uses relating to specific parts will be broughtout in the following description.

In the drawings; I

Figure 1- is a side elevation ofa socket wrench embodying the various features of my invention, the central portion of the handle being broken away, the dotted lines indicating diiierent positions of adjustment of the socket and its companion member.

Fig. --,2- is a side elevation of the same wrench taken at right angles to that shown in F 1g. 1, in which the dotted lines indicate different positions of adjustment of" the socket member of the universal joint.

Figs. 3 and lare longitudinal sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3-3, Fig. l, and 4c4, Fig. 2-. j

Figs. -5, 6 and -7 are perspective views, respectively, of the universal joint members consisting of the head of the Iloiandle, the coupling block and socket mem- As illustrated, this tool comprises a cylindrical rod or shank -1 of any suitable length having end heads -2- and -3 rigidly secured thereto, one of said heads being provided with a transverse or diametrically extending opening 4 in which is fitted a cross-bar -5, which, together with the shank -1-, constitutes what may be termed the handle.

The head -3- is secured to one end of the shank -1 by means of a key or pin -6 and has its opposite end provided with a pair of axially extending lugs or ears -7- in transversely spacedrelation, said ears being provided with apertures for receiving a pivotal pin 8- which extends across the intervening space, as 9 between the ears. 7

A coupling block -10 is mounted at one .end upon the pivotal pin 8- to swing about the axis of said pin within the space 9- between the ears -7, the outer end of said block being provided with a central lengthwise slot 1lextending inwardly from its outer end a distance somewhat less than the distance between said outer end and l Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

of slightly greater diameter than the transverse width of the slot 11- for receiving one end of a socket member -13.

The outer end of the socket member has a substantially circular exterior and an angular interior, the cross-sectional form of the latter corresponding to the form of the nut or bolt over which it is adapted to fit. The socket 13- is providedwith opposite inwardly projecting ears or lugs 14- spaced apart a sufficient distance toreceive between them the outer end of the coupling block l0, and are provided with apertures for receiving a pivotal pin -15, which is movable in the slot l1 into and out of registration with the circular bearing 12. The opposite ends of the pivotal pin --15- are rigidly secured in the ears 14 to turn It, therefore follows that in order to insert the pivotal pin -15- through the slot -l1 and into the bearing ''"12, the socket must be turned so that its axis will be at substantially right angles to that of the coupling block -10, or to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3', whereupon the pivotal pin 15 may be passed edgewise through the slot into the bearing 12.

As soon as the pin -l5 is properly seated in the bearing 12, the socket -13 may be rocked outwardly toward the axis of the coupling block, thereby causing the wider portions of the pivotal pin to assume a position transversely to said, slot for locking the socket and coupling members together against relative endwise displacement, and, at the same time, permitting the socket to swing through an arc of substantially 180 degrees about the axis of the pivotal pin -15- which extends in a plane at right angles to the axis of the pivotal pin 8.

A flat spring 16 is secured at one end to one side of the coupling block 10-'- and is provided with a pin 17 extending through an opening 18'- in said side so as to normally project a short distance into the adjacent side of the slot 11 just at the outside of the pivotal pin 15 when 7 the latter is seated in the cylindrical bearing 12, the inner end face of said pin being rounded or inclined in the direction of length r of the slot -11 to permit the pivotal pin 'to ride there-against and to move the same outwardly against the'action of the spring -16 while the pin' -15- is being moved into and out of the slot, or during the'withdrawal and replacement of the socket member -13 from and upon said block, it being understood that when the socket member -13 is adjusted for use upon the block -10-, the inner end of the pin -17 7 serves to hold the socket member against accidental displacement when swung to an angle 'of 90 degrees from the axis of the cou-' pling block while the walls of the circular bearing --12- positively hold the socket member from withdrawal when in any other position than 90 degrees from said axis.

It will be noted that the diameter of the socket member --13- and width of the block 10 are less than that of the head 3 and that the shank of the handle is also of relatively less diameter than the head 3, which permits the tool to be inserted in relatively small space for tightening and loosening nuts and bolts, and that the socket member -13 and coupling member'10 may be swung to different angles relatively to each other and to the axis of the head --3 to enable the socket to be used for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts which may be disposed at an angle to the handle of the tool, the 7 universal joint formed by the pivotal connections between the socket member and coupling, and also between the coupling and head permitting the shank -1 of the tool to be turned about the same axis, while the socket may turn about another axis at an angle thereto.

What I claim is:

1. A tool of the character described comprising a shank having a handle at one end and a head rigidly mounted on the opposite end, said head being provided with axially extending lugs in spaced relation, a coupling member pivoted to and between said lugs to swing to different angles relatively to the axis of the head, said coupling being provided with 'a lengthwise slot open ing from its outer end and having its in- I181 end enlarged, a socket member having one end provided with axially extending ears in spaced relation, a pivotal pin rigidly secured to and between said ears and'movable through said slot when turned to a certain position, the diameter of the pin at right angles to the axis of the socket being greater than the width of the slot to enter the enlarged inner end of said slot when turned to another. position for locking the socket member and coupling member together against endwise displacement one from the other.

2. A tool of the character described comprising a shank having a handle at one end and a head rigidly mounted on the opposite angles to the axis of the socket being greater 130 than the width of the slot to enter the enlarged inner end of said slot when turned to another position for locking the socket member and coupling member together against endwise displacement one from the other, and a locking pin movable through an opening in the coupling partially across the slot at the outer side of the pivotal pin when seated in the enlargement of the slot to assist in holding the coupling member and socket against relative endwise displacement, particularly, when the socket member is turned to the first named position.

3. A tool of the character described comprising a shank having a handle at one end and a head secured to the opposite end, said head being provided with diametrical opposite axially extending lugs, a coupling member having one end pivoted to and between said lugs and its opposite end provided with a diametrical extending slot of less length than the distance between the outer end of the coupling member and axis of the pivot, the inner end of said slot being enlarged to form a circular bearing, a socket member having a pivotal pin of greater width in one direction than that of the slot and of slightly less width than said slot in another direction, the greater width of the pin being substantially equal to the diameter of the circular bearing, said pin being normally seated in said bearing and held therein when its wider portion extends transversely of the slot and removable through said slot when its narrower portion is registered therewith.

4. A tool of the character described, com-, prising a shank having a handle at one end and a head secured to the opposite end, said head being provided with diametrical op posite axially extending lugs, a coupling member having one end pivoted to and between said lugs and its opposite end provided with a diametrical extending slot of less length than the distance between the outer end of the coupling member and axis of the pivot, the inner end of said slot being enlarged to form a circular bearing, a socket member having a pivotal pin of greater width in one direction than that of the slot and of slightly less width than said slot in another direction, the greater width of the pin being substantially equal to the diameter of the circular bearing, said pin being normally seated in said bearing and held therein when its wider portion extends transversely of the slot and removable through said slot when its narrower portion is registered therewith, and yielding means for additionally holding the pin of the socket member in the enlarged portion of the slot.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of May, 1920.

VIUl OR WV. THAYER. l/Vitnesses:

H. E. OHAsn, Rosn Gr. CARROLL. 

